Extensible belt with extensible connection to small implements

ABSTRACT

A coiled elastomer belt to be worn about a human torso is provided with a coiled extension from an integral plastic ring around the coiled plastic, which ring can be moved along the belt when the latter is extended to position the coiled extension at any point desired. The same plastic ring carries an attachment, such as a snap hook, and at its other end a ring or other attachment to a small implement, such as keys, ball point pen, light tools, and the like. The extension is fairly short but can stretch to from two to three feet so that the implement can be used by the wearer of the belt. When fastened up to the slidable plastic ring, the extension does not hang down for an excessive distance. The extension can be positioned at any point on the belt by sliding the plastic ring along the stretched out elastomer forming the coiled belt. Ends of the belt are provided with fastenings, such as a snap hook and a ring, so that they can be fastened around a human torso to fit all sizes of person since the belt is extensible. The plastic used to form the coiled belt may be any suitable plastic, for example polyurethane, which even has some stretch when fully uncoiled.

United States Patent 1 1 Wilson et al.

[ 1 Sept. 30, 1975 EXTENSIBLE BELT WITH EXTENSIBLE CONNECTION TO SMALLIMPLEMENTS [76] Inventors: Woodrow F. Wilson: Frances Y.

Wilson, both of W. River Rd.. R.F.D. 5, Oswego. NY. 13126 22 Filed: May15,1974

211 Appl. No.: 470,217

[52] U.S. Cl. 224/5 A; 2/338; 224/5 B [51] Int. Cl. A45C 1/04 [58] Fieldof Search 224/4 B, 4 C, 5 R, 5 A, 224/5 B. 5 M, 5 N, 26 R, 26 B, 26 K;2/330, 338

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,566,192 12/1925 Forrest224/5 A 2,388,811 11/1945 Zatko 224/5 A Primary E.\'aminerRobert G.Sheridan Attorney, Agent, or FirmRobert Ames Norton; Saul Leitner [57]ABSTRACT A coiled elastomer belt to be worn about a human torso isprovided with a coiled extension from an integral plastic ring aroundthe coiled plastic, which ring can be moved along the belt when thelatter is extended to position the coiled extension at any pointdesired. The same plastic ring carries an attachment, such as a snaphook, and at its other end a ring or other attachment to a smallimplement, such as keys, ball point pen, light tools, and the like. Theextension is fairly short but can stretch to from two to three feet sothat the implement can be used by the wearer of the belt. When fastenedup to the slidable plastic ring, the extension does not hang down for anexcessive distance. The extension can be positioned at any point on thebelt by sliding the plastic ring along the stretched out elastomerforming the coiled belt. Ends of the belt are provided with fastenings,such as a snap hook and a ring, so that they can be fastened around ahuman torso to fit all sizes of person since the belt is extensible. Theplastic used to form the coiled belt may be any suitable plastic, forexample polyurethane, which even has some stretch when fully uncoiled.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures US, Patant Sept. 30,1975

Sheet 1 of 2 3,908,875

US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet20f2 3,908,875

EXTENSIBLE BELT WITH EXTENSIBLE CONNECTION TO SMALL IMPLEMENTSBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A problem is presented with smallimplements, such as a bunch of keys, on a belt. A hotel or motel maidhas to use the various keys but there is a real problem because eitherthe implements hang down a long way or are too short for the maid to usethem conveniently without detaching from her belt. Similar problems arepresented by waitresses that have to carry a pen or pencil for writingup orders. Also, mechanics have the problem of carrying light tools withthem, such as screwdrivers, pliers, and the like, attached to theirbelts. In every case it is important to be able to attach the smallimplements at a particular point on the belt convenient for the wearer.If ordinary belts are used, different sizes may be required fordifferent sized people, and the particular point at which the tools, forexample on a lanyard, attach to the belt may not be suitable for alluses in a single position. If the lanyard or other attachment to thesmall implements is long enough so that the belt wearer can use themwithout detaching, it hangs down quite a long way and can interfere withwalking and other movement.

Coiled spring devices, for example using a coiled elastomer, have beenattached to various elements, for example a leash from the wrist of aperson to the harness of a child or the collar of a dog. Such coiledleashes are described in the Grahling US. Pat. No. 2,994,300, Aug. 1,1961. As there illustrated, at one end the leash is attached to aninextensible strap around the mothers wrist and at the other end to achilds wrist or, if the leash is for a dog, to a dog collar. The leashis capable of stretching, for example to about 3 times its coiledlength, and is useful, but in its coiled form it is quite long in orderto give the child or dog sufficient scope for movement.

It is with the combination of a coiled extensible belt and a coiledextension or lanyard fastened to small implements that the presentinvention deals.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the present invention a coiled extensibleplastic belt, for example of polyurethane, fastens around the waist of ahuman being. Preferably it is provided with suitable fastenings, such asa snap hook at one end and a ring at the other, though the particularfastenings are not what distinguishes the present invention from theprior art. At a desired point on the belt there is an extension orlanyard also of coiled plastic which at its end is attached to smallimplements, for example a bunch of keys for a hotel maid, a ball pointpen or pencil for a waitress, or light tools, such as screwdrivers,pliers and the like, for a mechanic. This extension is not long enoughto trip over but can be extended, for example to about 3 times itscoiled length, so that an extension to some three feet is readilyobtainable. This permits using the implement, such as a key, writinginstrument, screwdriver. plier and the like, without having to detach itfrom the belt, which latter is extensible and therefore fits any humanwaist.

Even the relatively short extension is sometimes longer than is desiredto hang down from the extensible belt and so there can be provided asnap hook or other attachment to the ring or other connection to thebelt so that the implements can be held quite close to the belt when notin use and do not interfere in any way with the movement of the personusing them. As soon as the implements are to be used, the snap hook isunhooked from the end of the extension or lanyard attached to the beltand can then be extended to sufficient length, for example about threefeet, as described, so that the implements can be used comfortably bythe person wearing the belt.

There is another and even more preferred modification in which theattachment to the belt is in the form of an integral plastic ringthrough which the coiled plastic passes. When the belt is stretched out,this ring can easily be slid to any particular point desired. This addsadditional flexibility; for example, one position might be convenientfor a right-handed person and another for a left-handed person. Ofcourse, as soon as the belt is allowed to snap back to its coiled formor to the slightly stretched form as it is worn, the ring no longer canmove but it is located at the most convenient point.

The exact design of the coiled spring belt is not what distinguishes thepresent invention from the prior art. Round coils are very economicallymade and for many purposes are preferable. However, it is perfectlypossible to have flattened coils, in other words, a coil which has twostraight portions with curved connections, and this is sometimes ofadvantage where the belt is worn by a man as it can more convenientlyslide through trouser loops than a round belt. The particular shape ofthe belt coils, however, is not what distinguishes the present inventionfrom the prior art as both types of coils, as such, are known. Below inthe description of the preferred embodiments the economical round coilform is illustrated but the flattened form may be used wherever this isconvenient.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevation of a stylizedhuman torso with a ring of a number of keys extending down from thebelt;

FIG. 2 shows the belt in its coiled form in somewhat greater detail;

FIG. 3 shows a portion of belt stretched out somewhat illustrating themovability of a preferred plastic ring to different positions on thebelt, also illustrating the hooking up of the implements closer to thebelt when not actually in use, and

FIG. 4 is a stylized elevation ofa human torso similar to FIG. 1 butillustrating a writing implement, such as a ball point pen, fastened tothe coiled extensible Ianyard and is illustrative of a modificationsuitable for use by waitresses and other persons who must write attimes.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a highly stylizedsilhouette of a female torso at 1. In order not to confuse the drawingsarms, legs and head are not shown. A coiled extensible belt is shown at2 around the womans waist and having attached at a particular point acoiled and therefore extensible lanyard 3 having a ring 4 at its end towhich there are attached a number of keys. This is a modification usefulfor hotel maids, housekeepers and the like or for other persons who mustcarry a number of keys with them, for example a telephone employeecarrying keys for unlocking coin telephone boxes and the like. It canreadily be seen that if the keys are grasped and the lanyard 3 isstretched out, for example to about three feet, the keys can be usedconveniently without detaching from the belt. As soon as the unlockingoperation has been performed, the lanyard 3 snaps back and hangs thekeys much closer to the belt.

FIG. 2 shows in more detail the belt with end fastenings, such as a snaphook 6 and a ring 7. This figure also illustrates an attachment of thelanyard at one end to the belt by an integral molded-in plastic ring 8through which the elastic of the belt passes. The same ring 8 alsocarries a snap hook 9 which can snap into the key ring and hold it upeven closer to the belt when not in use, as shown in FIG. 3. As the beltis extensible, it fits any size person from a small woman to a largeman, and therefore only one size belt need to kept in stock. Theextension of the coils for the belt is to a much smaller degree than theextension of the coiled lanyard for actual use but is sufficient toaccommodate all sizes of person.

FIG. 4 is substantially the same as FIG. 1 but illustrates a differentimplement on the end of the lanyard, a ball point pen l1, and is, ofcourse, useful for a waitress or someone who has to use a writinginstrument from time to time.

FIG. 3 illustrates a preferred connection to the belt 2 in the form ofan integral molded plastic ring 8. This figure shows a portion of thebelt somewhat stretched out, and it will be seen that the ring can beslid along it to any particular position on the belt which is desired.In FIG. 3 one position is shown in full lines and the extensible lanyarditself shown in dotted lines in the second position. This permitsattaching the extensible lanyard to any particular position on the beltwhich is desired for convenience in use. For example, it can be moved toone position for a right-handed person and to another for a left-handedperson. In order to illustrate a wider variety of small implements, FIG.3 shows the ring attached through a hole in the handle of a screwdriver10. Any other light implement may be fastened or several of them may befastened, for example a screwdriver and a pair of pliers.

The coiled spring belt and lanyard are preferably made of polyurethanetubing, though any other plastic material may be used, and are of theround coil form. As has been mentioned above, the coils may beflattened, which is sometimes useful when a man is using the belt andwishes to have it extend through trouser loops. Both shapes of coils arewell known by themselves and the above reference is merely to illustratefurther the flexibility of use of the present invention.

The present invention is a combination of the extensible belt and thelanyard, which is also extensible, and does not depend for its noveltyon any single element. In more specific aspects the movability of thelanyard to different points of the belt and the additional snap hook 9,which hooks the lanyard still closer to the belt, are also included.Since these additional features add nothing to the cost of the belt andlanyard of the present invention, ordinarily they will be present but,of course, the invention broadly includes the combination without thesetwo specific features.

We claim:

1. A belt and implement lanyard combination comprising a belt of coiledplastic, means for attaching the two ends of the belt together around ahuman torso, an attachment to the belt of a coiled lanyard of the samegeneral form as the belt which can be extended and which carries at oneend an attachment for light implements and at the other end an integralplastic ring through which the plastic of the belt passes, whereby whenthe belt is somewhat stretched the ring can slide along the plastic toany desired position and the belt then allowed to recoil and thus keepthe lanyard and the implements attached to the belt at a particularpoint desired.

2. A belt lanyard and implement combination according to claim 1 inwhich the attachment of the lanyard to the belt also carries a hook sothat the implement attaching end can be hooked up nearer to the belt

1. A belt and implement lanyard combination comprising a belt of coiledplastic, means for attaching the two ends of the belt together around ahuman torso, an attachment to the belt of a coiled lanyard of the samegeneral form as the belt which can be extended and which carries at oneend an attachment for light implements and at the other end an integralplastic ring thrOugh which the plastic of the belt passes, whereby whenthe belt is somewhat stretched the ring can slide along the plastic toany desired position and the belt then allowed to recoil and thus keepthe lanyard and the implements attached to the belt at a particularpoint desired.
 2. A belt lanyard and implement combination according toclaim 1 in which the attachment of the lanyard to the belt also carriesa hook so that the implement attaching end can be hooked up nearer tothe belt when the implement is not in use.